Sunday, October 13, 2013

Chestnuts & Crochet

We have a monstrous chestnut tree here on the farm.  Kristi our DIL is fascinated with them and collected a big bowl of them and she taught herself to pop them out of their bristle-y husks with a butter knife.  She has tried a few methods of preparing them, soft version was putting them in the oven for 15 minutes, and if you want to roast them, you put them back in for another 20 minutes.  We enjoyed the flavor of her test batches.


The boys had a good time watching the whole procedure.  


I'd asked Dayle to get me a pumpkin, so on Friday he had a doctors appt. and on his way home he did some errands and surprised me with this HUGE pumpkin!  He figures it weighs 50 lbs. or so! I will wait a while to carve it or maybe just enjoy it as is.



They boys have been asking me to draw them pumpkins and rocket ships which they color and then cut out.  They've been taping them up around the door frame between our family room and the living room - and I just love it!



Dayle also brought home a whole chicken and made a big pot of homemade chicken vegetable noodle soup.  And by golly, I am finally feeling that I'm around the corner on this horrible cold and beginning the mend.  I have bronchitis and it will take a while to get over that, but it's a start.  I think it's his soup!  I've had time to crochet on Caleb's "kid blanket" and it's growing.


This is the best yarn to work with - cotton, so soft and organic.


Thank you all for your nice comments - it really makes me happy to feel the connection with my friends around the world.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

24 comments:

  1. That is a BIG and gorgeous pumpkin your honey brought home to you. Glad he made you some soup too. That'll get you on your way to being well quickly. Your blanket is getting really big. Hope you're enjoying working on it.

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  2. Hi Teresa - SO glad you're feeling better! Years ago, I had bronchitis for 3 weeks and just could not shake it. I happened to sit with my back to the roaring fire in our fireplace as it felt good. The next day, I was not better BUT the bronchitis was totally gone. It seemed like a miracle and I tell everyone now. Maybe the heat just dried it up. A heating pad or hot water bottle might may even help. :-)

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    1. Correction: I meant I didn't JUST feel better but was WELL!

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  3. I am glad you are on the mend with that nasty sickness. It is a miserable time re-cooping from something that keeps ya coughing, nose blowing and sore. Like most things it just has to run it's course. In the meantime, everyone need to baby grandma a bit and yes, bring her that home made chicken soup. Your blanket is growing. I'm sure your grandson can't wait to see it completed. That pumpkin is "the bomb". Dayle must have had to bring it up to the house in a wheel barrel, lol. As artistic as you are I bet you could make it special with a pretty carving. Everyone seems to be all ga ga over the ones painted white. I suppose you could pretty much paint them any color ya wanted. Someone said they saw a red, white and blue one...very patriotic.
    Have a good week.
    Giving you a warm, big hug. ((((((((HUG))))))) Susanne :)

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  4. Lovely photo of the boys and their scrumptious looking chestnuts. I can't remember when I kast had a hot chestnut, many years ago though.
    Love your afghan, beautiful colours - sea, sand and grassy dunes.
    Carol xx

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  5. Glad you are feeling better Teresa. WOW that is a very grand pumpkin.. and what a great haul of chestnuts. The blanket is looking wonderful.. I think crocheting is always therapeutic, what do you think?? Hugs Judy

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  6. Hope you feel better soon. The blanket looks great!

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  7. I knew chicken soup would make you feel better, bronchitis is horrible, it really drains you. I hope you are still resting. Love the rockets and pumpkins, there is nothing like have little ones in the house. I would love to try some of Kristi's walnuts, they sound yummy.
    Hugs to you and rest, rest, rest.
    Meredith

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  8. Hi Teresa,
    Happy Sunday! I think the pumpkins and rockets look just perfect around your doorframe. Grandkid art work is absolutely the best thing to decorate your home with in my humble opinion. :-)
    So glad to hear that you're feeling a bit better. On the bright side, it's given you lots of time to work on Caleb's blanket. He will love it so much when it's done. I'm sure Dayle's soup was a big part of your recovery. He sounds like a great guy to have around, always busy with something or other.
    That is one HUGE pumpkin. Are you going to use the insides for pie?
    Feel better my friend.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  9. We have chestnuts on our farm. I always find them in my son's pockets. Glad you are feeling some better. I have no doubt that the chicken soup is helping!

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  10. Hi Teresa. Funny you mention chestnuts today, because we spent a good deal of time today with the girls, collecting chestnuts off the ground! They are so funny looking!
    I love the boys artwork around the door frame! And that huge pumpkin!! How fun! Dayle is quite a guy!
    Teresa, I am prone to bronchitis, and I usually get it really badly about every other year. It is awful! So I know what you are feeling. I hope you stay down, and rest, rest, rest!
    Caleb's blanket is coming along so great. Isn't it fun when you can wrap yourself up in it while working on it?
    Take care of you!!
    xo Kris

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  11. I am so glad that you are feeling better. The boys sure have fun, don't they. They always look so happy! I have never had roasted chestnuts. I have no idea what they taste like. Continue to get etter so that you can have more fun with the grands.

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  12. The chestnuts look just wonderful... I wonder how hey taste?
    I just absolutely love the blanket... I am also making a ripple blanket, but I have not worked on it forever. Seeing yours make me want to pick,mine up again...you so motivate me :)
    Hope you feel better soon. It's no fun to be sick.

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  13. Bronchitis doesn't sound fun at all! But I'm guessing carving that 50 pound pumpkin will be. You'll have to show us how it turns out. It has such a nice perfectly round surface to work with. Dayle is a perfect pumpkin picker outer! :-)

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  14. I FOUND YOU!!! Lordie mercy, I've found you! After my other blog disappearing on me I lost so many. I've tied by email to contact you but I've learned that my email account was acting out also! (I'm so sorry)
    I've missed you and reading up on what you have been up to and the kids. Sorry to hear you have been a little sick. I do hope you are on the mend. Soups is wonderful medicine and I bet yours is wonderful as is everything you and Dayle make! The boys are cuter than ever and I love seeing all of there beautiful artwork displayed around you home!
    Take care...and I am so happy to have found you again!
    Big Hugs.....Shari

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  15. I'm so glad you're feeling better. That is some pumpkin, Dayle done good! :)

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  16. Hi Teresa I'm so glad you are finally on the mend. What a fabulous pumpkin Dayle found for you, that will take some carving! What wonderful news re your son's new job, what a relief that must be for him. It's looking fun around your house and soooo spooky ;0) x

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  17. Oh...I am so sorry you have bronchitis :( Teresa, but I am so glad that Dayle's chicken noodle soup is helping feel better! I love seeing your latest art projects and the wonderful progress you are making on Caleb's blanket. I roasted chestnuts once when we lived in NY and decided that I would have to work at acquiring a taste for them :) I think they are pretty, though.
    Gracie xx

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  18. Now you have me very curious to taste some roasted chestnuts. I will have to hunt some up...
    Love your new pumpkin!
    Continued recovery from your 'bug' and bronchitis. Hoping that this week's warm forecast combined with Dayle's chicken soup 'cure' will have you feeling even better soon!
    Blessings,
    Aimee
    PS: That blanket looks SO soft--I want to reach through my laptop's screen and touch it.

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  19. Your afghan is sure looking nice. I'd rather knit than crochet. I need to do a few projects. I moved my sugary pumpkin tonight so it will be out of sunlight, hot, so it will last longer. I will hate to cut into it and not see it again. Oh yeah, I do have pix of it. Take care!

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  20. I love chestnuts. You can roast them over a fire outside. But you have to sacrifice a frying pan or a tin pan by screwing holes into its bottom. Cut the round side of the chestnuts with a sharp knife and roast them for about 20 minutes or so. They are ready when the hulks come off easily.

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  21. Hi Teresa .. I left a really long comment (or tried to) yesterday and its obviously gone to the never-never. When I suspected something was wrong, I made another short comment - don't know what's going on but it didn't seem to make it either. I do hope you get this. Those chestnuts look fantastic ---- chestnuts roasting on an open fire ???? and all that LOL. I love your ripple blanket - lovely colours for a little fellow. xox

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  22. Aww I've been off for a while and I didn't know you had bronchitits so I hope you feel beter soon x

    I can't belive the size of your pumpkin hahaha, it's enormous!!! Love the carvings though, I've only ever done the basic triangle eyes with a zig zaggy mouth!

    Good work on Calebs blanket too it's much bigger than when I saw it last :-) x

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  23. I'm collecting chestnuts for the first time and the hull is so prickly. I'd love any tips that you and your DIL may have.

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